Name/Title
St. Joseph and the Air Mail Medal: A True TaleEntry/Object ID
L2020.1.264Description
St. Joseph and the Air Mail Medal: A True Tale. Photocopy of article from The California Numismatist journal. Tells that St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce was first to suggest and promote an Air Mail Service to Congress in 1922. (see Max Habecker photo albums, 324/18022, for photos of aircraft and pilots landing in St. Joseph during this period.)
In anticipation, the City leased 73 acres near Lake Contrary for its airport, named Rosecrans, for the first St. Joseph airman to die in World War I.
It describes the arrival of Lt. Russell L. Maughan who was piloting one of the first US Air Services pursuit aircraft. a biplane. Coming from New York, he made in to San Francisco in various hops in about 22 hours. The St. Joseph stop included muddy field at Rosecrans, where 3500 people greeted him.
Also included is St. Joseph part in the U.S. Army Air Service round-the-world daylight flight, starting from Seattle, April 6, 1924, landing in St. Joseph on Sept. 18. on their way back to Seattle, where they arrived on Sept. 28.
In 1925, Rosecrans was too small and the city moved the airfield to French Bottoms. This was about the time Congress passed the Contract Air Mail Act, moving the service from control of the Post Office and launched commercial feeder routes.
In 1925, 1929 & 1931, seventeen craft from the Ford Air Tours landed in St. Joseph.
In 1926 St. Joseph became a leg of the National Air Transport whose aircraft could carry 1000 pounds of mail on Route 3 from Chicago to Dallas. St. Joseph served as engine over-haul and refueling facility for the route. A great celebration with 10,000 people in attendance and a queen crowned met the first such aircraft piloted by P.E. Johnson, delivering two sacks of mail and picking up five. A day long celebration continued with a Pony Express Rider re-enactor delivering mail to the plane, and a horse drawn 'stage'' also presenting a bag of mail.
It also describes a medal created by Pollock & Creviston Jewelers, about the size of half dollar, struck in aluminum, the metal of aircraft. The medal portrays a Carrier Pigeon aircraft in flight, and the reverse is "Air Mail, St. Joseph, MO, May 12, 1926. ( In 2015 fewer than six of these medals have been sold on-line). Other versions of the medal were made. The St. Joseph Museum has three such medals in its collection, including one alluding to Harry Block a St. Joseph businessman who was an earlier aviation promoter.
In 1927, Charles Lindbergh arrived in St. Joseph as one of 82 cities he visited on his "Goodwill" tour.
In 1935 Rosecrans at French Bottoms was closed because of its hazardous location near the river and the river bluffs. In 1939 it was relocated to its present site further west. In 2020 a good portion of the airfield is used by Missouri Air National Guard.
10\Photocopy\Photos (poor quality)Lexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Primary Object Term
ArticleNomenclature Sub-Class
Literary WorksNomenclature Class
Documentary ObjectsNomenclature Category
Category 08: Communication ObjectsLOC Thesaurus for Graphic Materials
AirplanesSearch Terms
Rosecrans Field, Rosecrans Airport, Air Mail, St. Joseph's Role in Air Mail Service, Pollock & Creviston, Block Brothers, Ford Air Tour, First Air MailPublication Details
Author
Lannon, DonaldPlace Published
City
VallejoState/Province
CaliforniaDate Published
2019Call No.
StJoArea LANotes
Copy No.: 1Relationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Harry BlockPerson or Organization
Russell MaughanPerson or Organization
Charles LindberghPerson or Organization
Wolfley,CarlPerson or Organization
Walter H. BeachPerson or Organization
Guy W. RosecransPerson or Organization
P.E. JohnsonPerson or Organization
Marie HoganPerson or Organization
Marshall, ElliotRelated Entries
Notes
118/12249, 14.26.1086, 79.1.57, P1983.005.00001